On a related note, it seems people do not use ‘happy’ and ‘unhappy’ as opposite, at least when they’re referring to a whole life. Rather, happiness involves normative notions (a good life) whereas being unhappy is simply about endorphins.
Culturally it may generally be considered too much of a blow to ever say someone is unhappy in general, or has an unhappy life. Or it may be too depressing for the people themselves to think, that the other person was unhappy, is unhappy, and will continue to be unhappy, rather than just happens to be unhappy now.
If that were true, we’d expect to see people more willing to pronounce a ‘happy’ verdict than a ‘sad’ verdict, but the link I posted suggests that people are willing to agree that the wholesome woman is unhappy if she thinks she is, but unwilling to say the superficial woman is happy, even though she thinks she is.
On a related note, it seems people do not use ‘happy’ and ‘unhappy’ as opposite, at least when they’re referring to a whole life. Rather, happiness involves normative notions (a good life) whereas being unhappy is simply about endorphins.
http://experimentalphilosophy.typepad.com/experimental_philosophy/2009/12/can-.html
Culturally it may generally be considered too much of a blow to ever say someone is unhappy in general, or has an unhappy life. Or it may be too depressing for the people themselves to think, that the other person was unhappy, is unhappy, and will continue to be unhappy, rather than just happens to be unhappy now.
If that were true, we’d expect to see people more willing to pronounce a ‘happy’ verdict than a ‘sad’ verdict, but the link I posted suggests that people are willing to agree that the wholesome woman is unhappy if she thinks she is, but unwilling to say the superficial woman is happy, even though she thinks she is.